THE LAST CASTRATO: Notes on the play and playwright

 About the Play

THE LAST CASTRATO is the darkly comic, bittersweet tale of Joseph, who was born without a penis, and his love affair with Elena, who was born with her skin inside out. Elena, though, was blessed with a beautiful singing voice to balance her deformity, while Joseph has no talent whatsoever to make up for his missing member. "A penis," he muses, "in terms of artistic merit is worth nothing." 

THE LAST CASTRATO sprang from the mind and pen of Chicago playwright Andy Eninger after initial development as part of a solo performance workshop at The Blue Rider Theatre. Audacity Artistic Director Brad McEntire made contact with Mr. Eninger in October 2004 when they were both featured performers in Chicago's third annual Single File Solo Performance Festival. THE LAST CASTRATO recieved its world-premiere at Single File, performed by its author. The piece was then presented by Audacity Productions at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. It was subsequently presented exclusively by Audacity Productions throughout 2005 and 2006 at theatres in Dallas, Addison and Austin, Texas. 

The piece runs about 50-55 minutes and is performed by a single actor who portrays nearly a dozen different characters. Though this is the first time THE LAST CASTRATO will be presented by ATL ( as opposed to Audacity Productions), Jeff Swearingen returns to act in the piece and ATL Artistic Director Brad McEntire comes back aboard as Producer and Director. 

About the Playwright

Andy Eninger lives in Chicago. He is the creator of "Sybil," an improvised solo form. He has performed and taught "Sybil" across the country, in London, and in Toronto - 'Now Toronto' magazine selected his performance as one of the Top 10 Comedy Shows of 2002. Andy is a founding performer with GayCo Productions, where he has performed in a number of fabulous comedy revues, and with the Chicago Comedy Company, which focuses on corporate comedy and training. Andy teaches improvisation and comedy writing for The Second City Training Center in Chicago, including the yearly "Sybilization" solo improv program. He also teaches a Solo Performance class for both the Chicago Comedy Company, and the Metropolis center for the Performing Arts, and coaches or directs several solo performers each year. 

Mr. Eninger holds an MA in Playwriting, and studied directing and writing for film at the Hungarian Academy of Film and Theater. His writing/directing credits include BEDLAM for the Playground Theatre, TENNIS for the Bailiwick Theatre, music and direction for LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PARODY and music for BAND GEEKS: THE MUSICAL.